2019 -- H 5071

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LC000187

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Lombardi, and Hull

     Date Introduced: January 10, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-96 of the General Laws entitled "The College and Career

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Success for All Students Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     16-96-4.1. Professional development related to reading disabilities.

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     (a) The department of education shall provide professional development opportunities

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related to reading disabilities, including dyslexia, to school district personnel. The professional

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development shall be made available to general education, special education, basic skills and

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English as a second language teachers, instruction support staff, administrators, supervisors, child

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study team members, and speech-language specialists. The professional development

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opportunities shall be designed to account for the various manners in which different school

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district personnel interact with, or develop instructional programs for, students with reading

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disabilities.

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     (b) The Rhode Island board of education shall require certain teaching staff members to

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annually complete at least two (2) hours of professional development instruction on the screening,

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intervention, accommodation, and use of technology for students with reading disabilities,

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including dyslexia. The professional development requirement shall apply to general education

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teachers employed in grades kindergarten through grade three (3), special education, basic skills,

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and English as a second language teachers, reading specialists, learning disabilities teacher

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consultants, and speech-language specialists. The board of education may make the professional

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development opportunities available to other instruction or support staff as the board deems

 

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appropriate.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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     This act would provide for professional development opportunities relating to reading

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disabilities and would require two (2) hours of professional development instruction pertaining to

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reading disabilities for certain general education teachers.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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